Separating and dispensing means for nested containers

ABSTRACT

Individual frustoconical containers having a rolled rim and an outwardly projecting annular stacking shoulder located a slight distance below the rim are separated from a nested stack of such containers by a plurality of cylindrical worm gears mounted in a circular array. Each worm gear has a spiral groove to simultaneously receive the rim of the lowermost container in the stack. The top cylindrical portion of each worm gear which is horizontally adjacent the stacking shoulder of the next to the lowermost container has a larger horizontal diameter than the cylindrical portion which is horizontally adjacent the stacking shoulder of the lowermost container.

United States Patent Kinney Sept. 9, 1975 1 SEPARATING AND DISPENSINGMEANS 2,946,48l 7/1960 Carew 221/222 3,426,94l 2/1969 Hovekamp 221/222FOR NESTED CONTAINERS [75] Inventor: Alfred W. Kinney, Kansas City, Mo.

[73] Phillips Petroleum Company,

Bartlesville, Okla.

Filed: July 29, 1974 Appl. No.: 492,831

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 372,845, June 22,1973, Pat. No. 3,840,150.

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Erwin Anderson 53/314 PrimaryExaminerTravis S. McGehee Assistant Examinerllorace M. Culver [57]ABSTRACT Individual frustoconical containers having a rolled rim and anoutwardly projecting annular stacking shoulder located a slight distancebelow the rim are separated from a nested stack of such containers by aplurality of cylindrical worm gears mounted in a circular array. Eachworm gear has a spiral groove to simultaneously receive the rim of thelowermost container in the stack. The top cylindrical portion of eachworm gear which is horizontally adjacent the stacking shoulder of thenext to the lowermost container has a larger horizontal diameter thanthe cylindrical portion which is horizontally adjacent the stackingshoulder of the lowermost container.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED 9%575 3,903,876

SHKET 1 [1F 3 PATENTEBSEP 9mm SHEET 3 UP 3 FIG. 5

SEPARATING AND DISPENSING MEANS FOR NESTED CONTAINERS This is a divisionof copending application Ser. No. 372,845, filed June 22, 1973, now US.Pat. No. 3,840,150.

This invention relates to apparatus for denesting and dispensingcontainers.

It is known to utilize a plurality of cylindrical worm gears having aspiral groove and positioned in a circular array to separate anddispense frustoconical containers having a rolled rim from a nestedstack thereof. In order to prevent the containers from being improperlydispensed, thereby possibly jamming the machine, it is necessary thatthe diameter of the gears be large enough to support the bottom surfaceof the rolled rim and to avoid the containers becoming canted. However,when the containers are provided with an outwardly projecting annularstacking shoulder slightly below the rim for stacking on the rim of thenext lower container, interference between the stacking shoulder and theworm gears is frequently encountered, particularly for containers havinga sidewall taper of less than about 3. For containers having a rimdiameter in the range of about 3 to about 8 inches and a sidewall taperof about 2 /2", the separation (space) between the inside wall of thebottommost container and the outside wall of the next higher containeris only about 0.01 inch, and is much less than this at the sidewall seamlap. Thus, pressure against the stacking shoulder can cause the insidesurface of the lower container to rub against the outside surface of thehigher container, creating a static buildup which can retard the freedrop of the sep arated cup, resulting in a failure of the separated cupto be properly positioned in the conveying means.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new andimproved apparatus for denesting and dispensing containers. Anotherobject of the invention is to maintain containers in proper alignment ina dispensing mechanism. Yet another object of the invention is tominimize the rubbing of a container against the adjacent container in adispensing mechanism. Other objects, aspects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from a study of the specification and theappended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a filling and capping machineincorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container dispensing mechanism ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the co tainer dispensing mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view in cross section taken along lines 4-4 inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view in cross-section taken along line 55 inFIG. 3, with two containers added; and

FIG. 6 is a partial view in perspective of the mechanism fortransferring filled and capped containers to an output chute.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, a nested stack of frustoconicalcontainers 11 is supported by container dispensing mechanism 12 and fourvertical guide rods 13 over an endless conveyor 14. Each container 11has a generally circular horizontal cross section and is provided withan annular rolled rim l0 projecting outwardly and downwardly from theupper end or mouth thereof, and an outwardly projecting annular stackingshoulder 9 formed in the sidewall of the container a slight distancebelow the rim 10. The outside diameter of shoulder 9 is greater than theinternal diameter of rim 10 so that the shoulder 9 of one containerstacks on the top of the rim 10 of the next lower container. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 6, conveyor 14 comprises two parallel endless chains 15 and16 and a plurality of container supporting members 17 carried by chains15 and 16. Conveyor 14 is indexed in a stepwise manner by drive axle 18.During the dwell portion of each step or cycle, mechanism 12 separatesthe lowermost container 11 from the stack and drops the separatedcontainer into the opening 19 in the container supporting member 17which is positioned in the container receiving station below dispensingmechanism 12. Filler valve 21 is actuated during the dwell portion ofeach cycle to introduce the material to be packaged into the container11 positioned in the filling station of the conveyor. If desired, acontainer lift mechanism 22 can be employed to raise the container 11 tobe filled so that the outlet end of filler valve 21 is inside thecontainer and adjacent the bottom of the container before the tillervalve 21 is actuated. Mechanism 22 can then gradually lower thecontainer as it is being filled to provide uniform distribution of theproduct in the container.

Closures 23 are fed into chute 24, the lower end of which is positionedover conveyor 14, in such a manner that the leading edge of thelowermost closure is contacted by the leading edge of the rim of thecontainer 11 as conveyor 14 indexes the container into the cappingstation. The forward motion of the container 11 draws the engagedclosure 23 from chute 24, while the contact of the upper surface of theclosure 23 with a horizontal plate 25 forces the closure 23 down ontothe rim of the container 11. If desired, container marking mechanism 26can be actuated during the dwell portion of each cycle to raise thecontainer 11 and the associated closure 23 into firm contact with plate25 to firmly position the closure 23 on the container 11 and to applyindicia to the bottom of the container.

During the dwell portion of each cycle, lift mechanism 27 is actuated toraise the filled and capped container which is in the transfer stationof conveyor 14 to a position above conveyor 14 and then transfermechanism 28 (FIG. 6) is actuated to move the elevated containerlaterally of conveyor 14 and onto an output chute 29.

In FIGS. 2 through 5, the container dispensing mechanism 12 isillustrated without its cover. A ring gear 31, having external gearteeth, is driven in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, by thedrive system comprising drive shaft 32, clutch plates 33 and 34, clutchshaft 35, and gears 36, 37 and 38. Gear 31 is positioned on a pluralityof bearings 30. Gear 36 has a slot 39 therein to receive pin 40 whenclutch shaft 35 is in the down or engaged position. Pin 40, whichextends through shaft 35 and is secured therein, engages gear 36 whenshaft 35 is in the down position to rotate gear 36 responsive to therotation of shaft 35. Shaft 35 can be latched in the up position bysuitable means (not shown) to permit access to the container dispensingmechanism 12 without shutting down the remainder of the machine.

Each of the six feed worm gears 4146 is provided with an interlockedgear 47 which engages ring gear 31. Feed worm gears 41-46 are rotatedabout their respective fixed shafts 48 in the counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 3, by the associated worm drive gear 47 andring gear 31. The six worm gears 41-46 are positioned in a circulararray which is coaxial with the stack of nested containers, with thecylindrical axis of each worm gear being parallel to the elongated,generally vertical, axis of the stack of containers. Each of the feedworm gears 41-46 is in the form of a cylinder having a groove 51 in thecylindrical surface 52 extending in a generally spiral form from the top53 of the worm gear to the bottom 54 thereof. The vertical heightbetween opposite sidewalls of groove 51 is greater than the verticalheight of rim 10. The groove 51 can be enlarged at the upper end thereofto provide an initial shoulder portion 55 which is at least generallyperpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical surface 52. Each of theworm gears 41-46 is positioned to simultaneously receive in the groove51 thereof the rim of the lowermost container 11 in the stack.Immediately prior to the discharge of the lowermost container 1 1 by thecontainer dispensing mechanism 12, the rim 10 of the next highercontainer is supported by the top surface of each of worm gears 41-46.At the moment or shortly thereafter that the lowermost container 11 isdischarged by the mechanism 12, the worm gears 41-46 have rotated to theposition where the initial shoulder portions 55 are under the rim of thenext higher container and the rim of the second container is no longersupported by the upper surface 53, thereby permitting the entire stackof nested containers to drop until the rim 10 of the new lowermostcontainer 11 rests on initial shoulder portion 55 of each worm gear. Thedistance between initial shoulder portion 55 and the top surface 53 isslightly greater than the vertical height of the rim 10, but is lessthan the container stacking distance, i.e., the distance from the bottomof the rim of one container to the bottom of the rim of the next highercontainer. Thus, on the continued rotation of worm gears 41-46, leadingpoint 56 of each of the worm gears 41-46 enters the space between thetop of the rim 10 of the lowermost container 11 and the bottom of therim 10 of the next higher container to support the second container onthe top surface 53 while the descending path of groove 51 forces thelowermost container to separate from the second container and movedownwardly. When the worm gears 41-46 have rotated to the point whereinthe trailing edge 57 moves out from under the rim 10 of the lowermostcontainer 11, the lowermost container drops into the pocket 19 of thecontainer supporting member 17 which is in the container receivingstation of conveyor 14.

Each groove 51 has an inner wall or bottom 61 generally parallel to thecylindrical surface 52 of the respective worm gears 41-46, as well as anupper sidewall 62 and a lower sidewall 63. The vertical height from thebottom sidewall 63 to the top sidewall 62 is slightly larger than thevertical height of the rim 10 of container 11. The horizontal distancefrom the inner wall 61 of one of the worm gears 41-46 to the inner wall61 of the opposite worm gears, i.e., the diameter of the smallest circlewhich is coaxial with ring gear 31 and tangent to each inner wall 61, isslightly greater than the maximum horizontal diameter R of rim 10.

In accordance with the present invention the cylindrical surface 52 isformed with a top section 520 and a bottom section 52b, with thehorizontal diameter of top section 52a being slightly larger than thehorizontal diameter of bottom section 52b. The top section 520 ishorizontally adjacent the stacking shoulder 9 of the next to thelowermost container 11, i.e., the container which is supported bythe,upper surface 53 of each of worm gears 41-46, while the bottomsection 52b is horizontally adjacent the stacking shoulder 9 of thelowermost container 11. The stack of containers 11 is supported by therolled rim of the next to the lowermost container resting on the topsurface 53 of each worm gear 41-46. This contact of surfaces 53 and thelowermost portions of rolled rim 10 of the next to the lowermostcontainer occurs in a circular line. The diameter of this circular lineis designated as X in FIG. 5. The horizontal distance from the verticalsurface of top section 52a of one of the worm gears to the verticalsurface of top section 52a of the opposite worm gear, i.e., the diameterA of the smallest circle which is coaxial with ring gear 31 and tangentto the vertical surface of the top section 52a of each of the wormgears, has to be smaller than the diameter X in order for the stack ofcontainers 11 to rest stably on the top surfaces 53 of the worm gears.If the diameter A is increased to approach too closely to the diameterX, it will be greater than the maximum outside diameter S of thestacking shoulder 9 to the extent where the container 11 can move to oneside enough for the opposite side support point of rim 10 to come offthe surface 53, causing that side of the container to drop slightly andjam in the worm gears. 0n the other hand, if the diameter A is decreasedto approach the outside diameter of the container sidewall horizontallyadjacent the lowermost point of rim 10, the diameter A will be smallerthan the maximum outside diameter S of shoulder 9 to the extent that thecontainer 11 is prevented from falling properly into the starting landor initial shoulder portion 55. Accordingly, it is desirable that thediameter A be only slightly smaller than diameter S to the extent thatthe lower curved surface of shoulder 9 permits the shoulder 9 of thenext to the lowermost container 1 l to be readily cammed into thediameter A while the cylindrical surfaces 520 hold the containersquarely and firmly.

However, if this desired relationship between diameters A and S wereemployed with worm gears having a single uniform cylindrical diameter,excessive pressure would be applied to the stacking shoulder 9 of thelowermost container. The partially dispensed lowermost container wouldhave its sidewall pushed in against the sidewall of the next highercontainer, causing the inside surface of the lowermost container to rubor bind against the outside surface of the next to the lowermostcontainer. This rubbing action results in a buildup of staticelectricity, which retards the free fall of the lowermost container atthe time of disengagement with the worm gears. The pressure can alsopull the lowermost container slightly out of vertical alignment andagainst one side of the succeeding container, causing the lowermostcontainer to drop at an angle, thereby increasing the possibility offailure of the dispensed container to seat properly in the conveyor 14.

The present invention achieves the desired relationship of the diametersS and A for the next to the lowermost container while avoiding theproblem of pressure against the lowermost container by making thediameter B of the smallest horizontal circle concentric with thecircular array of worm gears 41-46 and tangent to the cylindricalsurface of bottom section 52b of each worm gear 41-46 greater than thediameter S and smaller than the diameter X. In the practice of thepresent invention, the diameter A will be from about 1 to about 40 mils,and preferably from about 3 to about 30 mils, smaller than diameter S,while diameter B will be from about 1 to about 40 mils, preferably fromabout 5 to about 30 mils, larger than diameter S. Although both ofdiameters A and B will be smaller than diameter X, the diameter B canapproach diameter X more closely than can diameter A because the next tothe lowermost container is held firmly by the upper sections 52a andprovides limitations to the degree of lateral motion of the lowermostcontainer 11. The absence of pressure against the stacking shoulder 9 ofthe lowermost container provides the maximum clearance between thelowermost container and the next higher container for the passage of airinto the lowermost container to relieve the vacuum created as the twocontainers are separated.

Sections 52a and 52b can be provided by utlizing two separate cylindersof different diameter which are coaxially secured together or sections52a and 52b can be a single cylinder having two portions of differingdiameters. Sections 52a and 5212 can be divided by a horizontal line, orby a vertical line extending from one flight of groove 51 to theadjacent flight thereof as shown in the drawings. Section 52b can beformed as a shallow groove spaced from groove 51 and horizontallyadjacent the shoulder 9 as the container 11 moves downward in the wormgears 41-46. It is desirable that an even number, preferably at leastfour, and more preferably six, feed worm gears be employed so that theworm gears would be in direct opposition to each other.

Reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope ofthe foregoing disclosure and the appended claims to the invention.

That which is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing frustoconical containers from a stackthereof and filling and capping the dispensed containers, each of saidcontainers having a rolled rim and an outwardly directed stackingshoulder formed in the sidewall of the container a slight distance belowthe rim thereof; comprising a plurality of feed cylinders, each of saidfeed cylinders having a groove in the cylindrical surface thereofextending in a generally spiral form from the top of said cylindricalsurface to the bottom of said cylindrical surface, each of said feedcylinders having a top cylindrical section which is horizontallyadjacent the stacking shoulder of the next to the lowermost container insaid stack and a bottom cylindrical section which is horizontallyadjacent the stacking shoulder of the lowermost container in said stack,the diameter of said top cylindrical section being greater than thediameter of said bottom cylindrical section; means for positioning saidplurality of feed cylinders in a circular array which is coaxial withsaid stack of containers with the cylindrical axes of said feedcylinders being parallel to the elongated axis of said stack ofcontainers. with each of said plurality of feed cylinders beingpositioned to simultaneously receive in the groove thereof the rim of acontainer in said stack; means for simultaneously rotating said feedcylinders to dispense a rimmed container from said stack; a conveyormeans having a container receiving station positioned below the circulararray of feed cylinders to receive the dispensed container, a fillingstation, a capping station and a discharge station; means associatedwith said filling station for filling the container positioned in saidfilling station; and means associated with said capping station forapplying a closure to the container positioned in said capping station.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said top cylindricalsections apply pressure against the stacking shoulder of the next to thelowermost container in said stack and said bottom cylindrical sectionsdo not apply pressure against the stacking shoulder of the lowermostcontainer in said stack.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the diameter of thesmaller circle which is coaxial with said circular array and is tangentto the cylindrical surface of the top cylindrical section of each ofsaid feed cylinders is smaller than the maximum outside diameter of saidstacking shoulder by a first amount which permits the stacking shoulderto be cammed into the smaller diameter but which also permits thecontainer to be firmly held in the proper vertical alignment.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the diameter of thesmaller circle which is coaxial with said circular array and is tangentto the cylindrical surface of the bottom cylindrical section of each ofsaid feed cylinders is larger than the maximum outside diameter of saidstacking shoulder by a second amount but less than the diameter of thelowermost portion of said rolled rim.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein there are six of saidfeed cylinders.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first amount is inthe range of about 1 to about 40 mils and wherein said second amount isin the range of about 1 to about 40 mils.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the groove of each feedcylinder is provided with an initial portion having a substantiallyhorizontal land to receive the next to the lowermost container as itbecomes the lowermost container, and wherein the top cylindrical sectionand said bottom cylindrical section of each of said feed cylinders areseparated by a vertical line extending downwardly from the leading edgeof said initial portion of said groove to the next lower flight of saidgroove.

* a a =l=

1. Apparatus for dispensing frustoconical containers from a stackthereof and filling and capping the dispensed containers, each of saidcontainers having a rolled rim and an outwardly directed stackingshoulder formed in the sidewall of the container a slight distance belowthe rim thereof; comprising a plurality of feed cylinders, each of saidfeed cylinders having a groove in the cylindrical surface thereofextending in a generally spiral form from the top of said cylindricalsurface to the bottom of said cylindrical surface, each of said feedcylinders having a top cylindrical section which is horizontallyadjacent the stacking shoulder of the next to the lowermost container insaid stack and a bottom cylindrical section which is horizontallyadjacent the stacking shoulder of the lowermost container in said stack,the diameter of said top cylindrical section being greater than thediameter of said bottom cylindrical section; means for positioning saidplurality of feed cylinders in a circular array which is coaxial withsaid stack of containers with the cylindrical axes of said feedcylinders being parallel to the elongated axis of said stack ofcontainers, with each of said plurality of feed cylinders beingpositioned to simultaneously receive in the groove thereof the rim of acontainer in said stack; means for simultaneously rotating said feedcylinders to dispense a rimmed container from said stack; a conveyormeans having a container receiving station positioned below the circulararray of feed cylinders to receive the dispensed container, a fillingstation, a capping station and a discharge station; means associatedwith said filling station for filling the container positioned in saidfilling station; and means associated with said capping station forapplying a closure to the container positioned in said capping station.2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said top cylindricalsections apply pressure against the stacking shoulder of the next to thelowermost container in said stack and said bottom cylindrical sectionsdo not apply pressure against the stacking shoulder of the lowermostcontainer in said stack.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whereinthe diameter of the smaller circle which is coaxial with said circulararray and is tangent to the cylindrical surface of the top cylindricalsection of each of said feed cylinders is smaller than the maximumoutside diameter of said stacking shoulder by a first amount whichpermits the stacking shoulder to be cammed into the smaller diameter butwhich also permits the container to be firmly held in the propervertical alignment.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherEin thediameter of the smaller circle which is coaxial with said circular arrayand is tangent to the cylindrical surface of the bottom cylindricalsection of each of said feed cylinders is larger than the maximumoutside diameter of said stacking shoulder by a second amount but lessthan the diameter of the lowermost portion of said rolled rim. 5.Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein there are six of said feedcylinders.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said firstamount is in the range of about 1 to about 40 mils and wherein saidsecond amount is in the range of about 1 to about 40 mils.
 7. Apparatusin accordance with claim 6 wherein the groove of each feed cylinder isprovided with an initial portion having a substantially horizontal landto receive the next to the lowermost container as it becomes thelowermost container, and wherein the top cylindrical section and saidbottom cylindrical section of each of said feed cylinders are separatedby a vertical line extending downwardly from the leading edge of saidinitial portion of said groove to the next lower flight of said groove.